Hibernian

Elie Youan's second-half penalty put the hosts in front, just minutes after teammate Nicky Cadden had missed from the spot.

The sides had gone into half-time level after Dwight Gayle's flicked header cancelled out Eli Campbell's close-range opener.

As the visitors pushed for an equaliser of their own late on, Youan nudged Ross County defender James Brown off the ball before selflessly playing in Josh Campbell. The Hibs midfielder slotted home a first-time finish to make sure of victory.

Hibs fans, were you at Easter Road or following along from home? Either way, we want your thoughts.

Have your say on the game., external

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Off the back of a bright, but ultimately frustrating display at Celtic Park last weekend, Gray called on his players to start quickly back in front of their own fans.

However, they were sloppy from the outset and went behind inside three minutes to Eli Campbell's headed effort.

As the first half progressed, the home side did push up the park and found themselves in decent attacking positions, but were let down by a lack of quality in the final third.

Dwight Gayle brought them level in first-half added time though, a timely boost that likely spared boos from the sparse home crowd.

The lack of composure in front of goal continued after the break, with Elie Youan wildly slicing a shot from 12 yards before Joe Newell fired well over the bar.

The game then burst into life on 69 minutes when County defender George Harmon hauled Gayle to ground inside the box. A penalty was awarded by referee Lloyd Wilson after a lengthy VAR check, but Nicky Cadden was denied by the legs of Jack Hamilton in goal.

Youan made no such mistake shortly after though, blasting his spot-kick in off the post after Campbell's shirt was pulled by Ryan Leak.

The French forward then turned provider for Campbell to wrap up Hibs' third league win of the season and haul themselves up the table.

In a match of low quality, Hibs found a way to win, which is something they have struggled to do this term. It's a quality that will provide hope to Gray before they travel to Pittodrie next weekend.

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Hibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Scotland: "I'm delighted with the win. That's the most important thing. Would I have liked us to play better? 100%. We've played better this year and not picked up points.

"Credit to Ross County. They started the game far better than we did. Once we settled down a bit, I thought we came into the game.

"The goal just before half-time was huge for us. It makes the team talk slightly different and the players reacted really well to that.

"We started the second half on the front foot, we created numerous chances - still lacked a bit of quality - but managed to get ourselves in front.

"That's three penalties we've missed this season. Elie steps up and says he wants to take [the second one], which shows courage. From that moment, we had to defend a lot, but did it well.

"To then score on the break came at an important time. The character's definitely been questioned, and the result was the most important thing today. It definitely looks much better with three points on the board.

"If we don't kick on from here, it can go in the other direction. The next four games will be difficult, but it's teams round about us. Hopefully this is a turning point in the season."

Hibernian midfielder Nectar Triantis, 21, explains he and his team-mates "like the pressure" that comes with playing for the Easter Road club. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Hibs striker Mykola Kuharevich will miss out with a groin strain while Marvin Ekpiteta (thigh) and Kieron Bowie (hamstring) remain longer-term absentees.

Ross County loanees Kacper Lopata and Aidan Denholm have returned to training and will be assessed.

Ricki Lamie is also back in training as is Max Sheaf but Will Nightingale (knee) is behind them in his quest for fitness and may not return to full training until the end of the month.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hibs boss David Gray is urging his side to show a killer instinct against Ross County and move off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

The Easter Road club are three points behind County in eighth but would go above them with victory.

Gray knows that in order to get a victory in Leith, his players will have to be better in front of goal.

Having netted 18 times in 16 games - from an xG of 22.7 - Hibs are the joint third lowest scorers in the league this season and passed up gilt-edged chances in defeat at Celtic last weekend.

"It's not just the strikers, we've had players missing big chances and it's definitely the area that's let us down," Gray said.

"We know we need to be more clinical and that has to change quickly.

"We're bottom of the league but if we beat County we go up to eighth, it just shows how tight the league is.

"We know they're three points above us and we can't let them go any further ahead.

"When you play for this club the expectation doesn't go away. This is a game where we can't look at anything other than that we're expected to win."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hibs boss David Gray has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Ross County this weekend.

Here are the main points:

• Gray stresses Hibs' full focus is on beating County to move off the bottom: "That's been the key message all week, all we can control is that one game and the incentive is if we win we'll go above them and that has to be the full focus."

• He warns Hibs mustn't let County, who are three points above in eighth, edge any further ahead.

• Gray knows how good playing at Easter Road can be if the fans get behind the team but insists it's up to the players to "put on the performance levels" that pleases the fans.

• He is aware County will be doing everything they can to "quieten the crowd" so his side must "start with intensity" to "get fans off their seats".

• On Mykola Kuharevich, the Hibs manager says the striker has picked up a groin injury and will be struggling to make Saturday's but the injury isn't as bad as it could have been.

• On Kuharevich's missed chances in defeat at Celtic last weekend, Gray stresses the importance of the striker making good runs and putting himself in the right positions.

• But the Hibs boss knows that up front is "definitely an area that lets us down" and insists his side "have to be more clinical".

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• Only Celtic (307) and Rangers (268) have had more shots in the Premiership this season than Hibs (216), with David Gray's side also third behind the Old Firm for expected goals (22.7). Despite this, only two teams – Kilmarnock (17) and Ross County (12) – have scored fewer goals than the Edinburgh side (18).

• Hibs have only lost one of their last five home league games against Ross County (W3 D1), going down 2-0 in November 2022 under Lee Johnson.

• Ross County are unbeaten in three league meetings with Hibs (W1 D2); only in their first four top-flight games against the Easter Road side from October 2012 to August 2013 have the Staggies ever avoided defeat in four successive encounters against them in the top tier.

• Hibs are winless in five home league games (D3 L2), but haven't gone six without a home win in the Scottish Premiership since February-May 2014 under Terry Butcher, when they were relegated.

• Ross County have lost their last two league games by an aggregate score of 8-0 (5-0 v Celtic, 3-0 v Rangers). The Staggies last lost three successive Scottish Premiership matches in February last season (4 in a row), and last did so without scoring in December 2020 (5 in a row).

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Alex Edwards - a key player in the famous 'Turnbull's Tornadoes' Hibs team of the 1970s - has died at the age of 78.

The winger won the Scottish Cup with hometown team Dunfermline before Eddie Turnbull took him to Hibs in 1971.

Edwards made 215 appearances for the Easter Road club, scoring 12 goals, and lifted the League Cup in 1972 after a starring role in the 2-1 final win over Celtic.

He also featured in the 7-0 new year's derby demolition of Hearts and 6-1 victory over Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon in the Cup Winners' Cup.

After seven years with Hibs, Edwards - who was inducted into the Hibs hall of fame earlier this year - ended his player career with Arbroath.

"Hibernian FC is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a true Hibs legend, Alex Edwards," the club said in a statement.

"He will be remembered not only as a brilliant footballer and a ferocious competitor but also as one of the finest players never to be capped by Scotland.

"Hibernian extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

"Rest in peace, Mickey. To the angels high above."

Hibernian forward Kieron Bowie, 22, is progressing well through rehab following a hamstring injury but will not feature before the end of 2024, says head coach David Gray. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Although it ended in defeat at Celtic Park last weekend there was so much positivity to take back along the M8 for Hibs.

To have 14 attempts - nine on target - against the champions in their own back yard is no mean feat.

The fact the man-of-the-match award went to Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is an indication the hosts had more than an uncomfortable afternoon.

Hibs, despite having only 24.5% possession, didn't just create good chances, they carved Celtic open at times.

According to Opta, the Easter Road side's xG of 2.19 was the most on record (since 2019-20) by a visiting team at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership.

By way of a comparison, Hearts - the last domestic team to win at Parkhead - did so with an xG of just 0.23 in their 2-0 victory last December.

The big downside for Hibs was the fact their gilt-edged opportunities were spurned. A harsh lesson that you must take your chances if you want to beat the top teams.

David Gray has had to endure extreme scrutiny in recent weeks and it now looks like his team are beginning to answer some of the key questions that were being posed.

That said, the team again sit bottom of the Premiership table. This week Ross County come calling and Hibs know a win would lift them above the Staggies on goal difference and a few places up the league.

This is a game the Hibs fans will expect to win, but that adds pressure to the players.

Performances have improved in recent weeks - now it is time to turn those into the victories required to move up the table and give the fans some early Christmas cheer.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

Hibs headed home from Parkhead on the end of a 3-0 defeat, a scoreline that looks every bit the routine result teams have come to expect when facing the champions in Glasgow.

However, it was far from a routine performance from the Hibees.

With an xG of 2.19 - the highest of any domestic team to have faced Celtic at Parkhead this season - Hibs can feel frustrated at having nothing to show for their efforts.

As usual, though, we only have ourselves to blame.

Mykola Kuharevich and Joe Newell passed up glorious opportunities to score, while defensive lapses and an own goal from Newell hammered home the cost of missing those chances.

There was plenty to take from the game, however, and we have no time to feel sorry for ourselves with a hugely significant game at home to Ross County on the horizon.

This is a veritable six-pointer where we have the opportunity to leapfrog County, currently eighth in the table, and move ourselves out of the bottom two for the first time in weeks.

We have had a terrible record in 'must-win' games over the last couple of seasons and can't afford to let another one go on Saturday, because the longer we remain stuck at the bottom, the harder league survival becomes.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers Podcast, external

Watch highlights as Celtic win 3-0 against Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership. (UK only)

We asked for your views on Hibs' 3-0 defeat against Celtic.

Here's what some of you said:

Sandy: Bottled the finishing, should have scored at least three goals, however we still played pretty well overall. Seems even holding Celtic to just a 3-0 loss is pretty good at Celtic Park these days. Hibs will be alright. Some winnable games coming. Sleeves up and onwards.

Aidan: Not sure anything would have been taken from the game if any of the very clear-cut chances had been taken, but the reality is we're bottom of the table. It's been the same old story after every defeat that the performance has been there, but when you don't pick up points after 90 minutes, you don't stay in the league.

Kenny: A lively performance but it's very obvious we need to strengthen in quite a few positions. We had plenty of chances but we need to start taking them. Celtic didn't have to be at their best to win this and we really need to get back to winning ways quickly.

George: Played well enough. Gave away a soft first goal and then missed three great chances and you can't do that, never mind away at Celtic. Then picked apart by a well drilled side, but they were there for the taking.

James: We created so many chances, I think 3-3 would not have been an unfair result. Unfortunately the chances fell to the wrong guys. If we keep creating the goals, points will come. Must-win match next week against Ross County.

Sandy: Celtic punished Hibs. Hibs needed to take their chances. Hibs need a better goalkeeper and they need to trust David Gray and invest more in goal and then outfield.